Shoulder pad construction



Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. RASMUSSEN 3,166,760

SHOULDER PAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 7, 1962 A fi ia f5 45 2,2 1 H 22 Li} .J

19 I 19 A 10 11 77 2 cu? f7 29 v W M i K 42 43 I INVENIOR For M fiAs/wussnv amass fPatente d Jan. 26, 1965 SHOULDER PAD CONSTRUCTION Roy M. Rasmussen, 1561 Lincoln Ave., St. Paul, Minn.

' Filed Nov. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 236,032

1 Claim. (Cl. 22)

Thisinvention relates to an improvement in shoulder pad construction and deals particularly with a shoulder protection designed for use by football players and the like.

Shoulder pads of the type used in the playing of football have been very carefully developed over a long period of years in an attempt to give maximum protection to the player. These pads are so arranged and so constructed that shoulder injuries to the players are relatively rare.

Shoulder pads of the type now being produced are usually made in two similar sections, one of which is designed to fit over each shoulder. In view of the fact that it is not particularly practical to make a shoulder pad structure to fit each individual player, the two sections of the pad are normally laced together with a flexible lacing. Thus an impact which is exerted against one shoulder pad will not be transferred to the other because of the completely flexible connection between the two parts.

I have found that if the two sections of the pad are rigidly connected together across the back of the player, an impact against one shoulder of the wearer may be distributed throughout the entire pad structure. It is true that a force exerted laterally along one side of the shoulder pad structure will tend to force this side of the pad against the corresponding shoulder and to force the opposite pad away from the opposite shoulder. However, the shoulder pads are normally held in place by the outer clothing of the player such as the jersey worn over the pads, and accordingly even in such case, the pressure against one shoulder is alleviated to some extent by the rigid connection. Furthermore, when the shoulder pads are struck from other directions, there is a general distribution of the force against the body. As a result, the tests of the new apparatus have proven to be extremely successful.

It has been previously proposed to replace the flexible lacings with a more rigid type of connection. However, the previous structureshave been produced in such a manner that they will not necessarily definitely resist the strain, and one portion of the shoulder pad may move toward the other in the event the fastening means should become loosened for one reason or another, or if suflicient strain is exerted against the pad. In some circumstances, the force against the pads may be such as to tend to force the two pads away from one another, rather than toward one another. In the past, the construction has been such as to definitely resist force in one direction but not in the other. The present arrangement is arranged to provide a definite fixed connection between the two shoulder pads even when the pad connecting means is loosened to some extent.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a rear perspective view of a shoulder pad construction showing the general arrangement of parts therein.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the same.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the flexible resilient connector used to connect the two pads.

The shoulder pad structure is indicated in general by the letter A and includes two identical but opposed sides which may be indicated in general by the numerals and 11. As the two sides are the same, the parts thereof will be given similar identifying numerals. Each of the sections 10 and ll includes a body portion 12 which includes a forward side 13, an arched portion 14 at the top of the front portion 13, and a rear portion 15 designed to overlie a portion of theback of the wearer. The arched portions 14 extend over the shoulders and connect the front portions 13 tothe rear portions 15. The arched portions described are provided with additional padding indicated at 16 and extending about the marginal edges of the body portions in order to protect the player from injury. The body portions 12 are made of proper material and are suitably padded so that strain against the structure is transmitted over a relatively large area.

Shoulder cap portions 17 are connected to opposite sides of the body portions 12 by any suitable means not illustrated in the drawings. The shoulder caps 17 are hingedly connected to the body to permit free manipulation of the arms. Generally channel shaped epaulets 19 overlie the connection between the body portions 12 and the shoulder caps 17 so that strain or. shock against the epaulets will be transmitted over a relatively large area of the body. The epaulets 19 are also connected in such a manner as to be articulated with respect to the body and the shoulder cap portion to permit free movement of the arms.

In the particular arrangement illustrated, a pair of straps'Ztl extend downwardly from the rear portions 15 of the body portions 12, and are attached to a body encircling belt 21. The belt 21 may be provided with protective pads such as 22, and the ends of the belt 21 may be attached by buckles 23 or other suitable means to the front portions 13 of the body portions 12.

The description in general of the shoulder pad structure is not given in great detail in view of the fact that this portion of the structure is generally conventional, and the details of the construction may be varied without changing the present invention.

As indicated in FIGURE 2'of the drawings, the forward panels 13 of the body portions 12 are provided with opposed reinforcing plates 25 which may be of metal or other suitable material and which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the body portions. These plates 25 are provided with opposed hook shaped projections 26 about which a lace 27 extends to detachably connect the frontpanels 13 together. The spacing between the front panels may be accordingly adjusted by the length of the lace.

The rear panel 15 of the body portions 12 are held in proper relation by a plate 29 of relatively stiff spring steel or other such material. One end 30 of the strip 29 is connected to one rear panel 15 by bolts 40 or other suitable means. These bolts are preferably three in number, the inner two of which are opposed, and the other of which is outwardly of the opposed bolts and nearer to the end 30 of the connector 29 in staggered relation to the inner opposed bolts. As is indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, the connecting plate 29 is provided with a series of spaced apertures 41 to accommodate the bolts 40. Near the other end 42 of the plate 29, I include an inner series of apertures 43 and an outer series 44, both of the series being similarly arranged. In the arrangement illustrated, the innermost of the three apertures 43 and 44- are in opposed relation, while the third aperture is between the outer apertures and out wardly therefrom. An additional series of apertures may also be provided if desired, but it is usually preferable not to elongate the connecting plate 29 to too great an extent. Bolts such as 45 or other suitable fastening means extend through one series of apertures 43 or 44, and through the rear panel 15 of the section 10 of the shoulder pad structure. These bolts 45 or other v V r 3 rigid fastening means preferably extend through the rigid panel of the body portion thus forming a firm connection between the sections it and 11. As a result, no matter What type of shock is exerted against one side of the shoulder pad structure,a portion of the shock will be transmitted to the other side, thereby distributing the strain over the entire unit rather than concentrating the strain upon one side of the unit.

In view of the fact that the strain upon the shoulder pads may come from virtually any direction, this structure has proven to be'very effective for its intended purpose. In any structure of this type, it is impossible to provide a direct comparison between the present construction and conventional structures, but it has been the opinion of the players using them that they are capable of preventing injuries, and it is for this reason that they are being adopted commercially.

' The bolts are secured in place preferably by T-nuts, or nuts including a threaded sleeve to accommodate the bolt, and a flange on the sleeve engageable with the side of the structure opposite the bolt head. With such an arrangement, any bolt which loosens due to vibration or: shock must come completely disengaged before the connection is broken. In other Words, there is virtually no possibility of failure of the connector to function for its intended purpose during use.

The adjustable feature of the connector is of importance, as it is essential that the shoulder pads fit each individual properly. Shoulder pads which are properly adjusted to the body afiord excellent protection, while improperly fitting pads aft-0rd very poor protection. Thus the pads may be adjusted to each individual player;

and connectors of ditferent lengths may be used to provide a greater range of adjustment Without excessively lengthening the connectors to suit the entire range.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in' shoulder pad construction, and While I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claim without departing from the spirt of my invention.

I claim:

A shoulder pad construction including:

a pair of opposed similar body portions, each including a pad of generally U-shaped form adapted to I t over a shoulder, detachable fastening means connecting one side of each body portion to the corresponding side of the other and adapted to overlie the chest, and

rigid fastening means rigidly connecting the other sides of the body portions and adapted to overlie the back of a wearer,

said rigid fastening means comprising a generally rectangular elongated substantially rigid plate having at one end a pair of transversely spaced apertures adjacent the opposed longitudinal edges thereof, and a plurality of longitudinaliy spaced pairs of transversely spaced apertures near the opposite end thereof,

said plate also including a third aperture arranged on a longitudinal line intermediate the apertures of each pair and offset longitudinally a similar distance from a transverse line connecting the apertures of each pair, thereby providing a group of three staggered apertures at said one end and a plurality of groups of three staggered apertures near said other end of said plate,

said similar body portions each having a pair of substantially vertically spaced apertures and an intermediate aperture ofiset from a line connecting the apertures of said pairs, the three apertures of each similar body portion corresponding in spacing to the three staggered apertures of each group in said plate,

all of said apertures being of substantially uniform diameter, and

six threaded fastening means securing said plate overlying the outer surfaces of said similar body portions,

said threaded fastening means being of proper diameter to snugly fit through said apertures and to hold said plate from movement relative to said similar body portions,

three of said threaded fastening means extending through the apertures of said group at said one end of said plate and through the apertures in one of said similar body portions, and

another three of said threaded fastening means extending through one of said longitudinally spaced groups of apertures near the other end of said plate and through the apertures in the other of said similar body portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

